10 Reasons to Leave America

As a preface, understand that America has some of the best scenery and nicest smaller towns in the world. It also provides maybe the most amount of geographic options within a single country. Finally, it’s the greatest place I can think of to do business. All that being said, as a world traveler I find there are many reasons to leave America and become an expat due to cultural issues. I will list them here.

# 10 – The Food is Garbage

My friend and traveling buddy explained to me, “When Americans move to Prague, they are surprised how they just seem to naturally lose weight. I think just being in the United States keeps you fat.’

Food is, by nature, lower quality in the U.S., even though there is a greater abundance of it. At the supermarket, I’ll find 20 different types of bread by big companies all competing for your dollar. More than half of these loaves have dubious ingredients on the back. Some brands even contain high fructose corn syrup to try to addict buyers who don’t know better to the product’s unnatural sugar content.

Most of Europe and the UK, on the other hand, has long since taken progressive measures to ban additives like carcinogenic food coloring. So you won’t find high fructose corn syrup sweetened, blue-dye morsels masquerading as blueberries in your muffin.

# 9 – The Infrastructure is Falling Apart

Nowhere is perfect. In cities in Southeast Asia I see streets with open sewage grates and pot-holes the size of craters. But what annoys me about the United States is that despite being such a rich country, I’ve seen similar problems of unkempt streets. Why? In other Western developed nations, this isn’t really a problem. The answer is probably that U.S. city governments constantly mismanage their funding, and the government in general allocates more money to things like warfare than its own citizens.

As a perfect example, note how most American cities completely lack adequate public transportation.

# 8 – The Architecture is Hideously Boring

Efficient, corporate, concrete slabs—this best describes U.S. cities and buildings. It’s hard to stay inspired in these types of environments for very long. I don’t know how architecture went bust in the modern world, but most European / Baltic cities do not suffer from this problem, as both new and ancient buildings maintain their sense of vision.

# 7 – Thug Culture is a Thing

Obviously, every city has its “bad side of town”, but nothing in the Western world compares to U.S. cities like Los Angeles. The dark reflection of the American “winner takes all” mentality is the celebration of and obsession with modern gang-bangers. Middle class kids try desperately to become these guys, while people who grow up in impoverished areas actually live the lifestyle and join massive, violent gangs like MS13.

To say this mentality flows against civil society and education is an understatement. These kids wouldn’t be able to locate Canada on a map, but they know enough about the metric system to deal crack by age 12.

Ghetto culture becomes so rampant across the states that whole sections of cities are generally considered “no go” areas if you’re not yourself extremely street savvy. Get lost one time and you’ll encounter endless hordes of drug-addicts, pimps, prostitutes, thugs, thieves, and killers. Growing up in Tucson, AZ I remember people in general lived in fear of venturing to the southern side of the city for any reason whatsoever.

I’ve been to “bad sides of town” in Europe and found it laughable. Their idea of a sketchy neighborhood is a couple of prostitutes and maybe one or two weird homeless people bugging you.

So, what’s to blame? Is it listening to gangster rap? Well, I don’t think so. I see kids blasting rap in low-crime European cities all of the time. The problem is systemic. It involves an American loneliness and anti-sociality, where it’s every man for himself. This leads to…

# 6 – Americans Are Anti-Social, Lonely and Depressed

A culture that revolves around business and “individualism” has a deep dark side. The general population, obsessed with anti-spiritual principles like fame, status and stepping over one another, leaves at best successful but lonely professionals, and at worst whole generations of disconnected, emotionally and socially broken souls.

Statistics will prove my points. Median depression rates in Europe are 6%. In my current city, Prague, it’s a bit high—7%. Median depression rates in the USA are around 16% according to the National Institute of Health.

“But Americans seem happy”, you may say. I see this, too. Americans try to fake pleasant behavior. Like the waitress at Applebees who greets you with a big, artificial smile while inside there is probably nothing but pain.

Fake American happiness is actually a coping mechanism. And, it’s a good effort. It won’t help to go around unfriendly and brooding about your problems. Even faking happiness to make other people happier at least helps push you in the right direction. But it won’t cure your existential crisis.

The result of this general malaise in the population can be felt by anyone who lives in the states for a long period of time. You will find that meeting friends is oddly challenging. People don’t prioritize socializing, but will quickly regress to things like video games, TV, work, or alcohol.

As a guy, if I try to meet an American woman I like, nine times out of ten I’ll discover she has more shields and defenses up than the Death Star. To be emotionally guarded is a symptom of pain and depression. I don’t encounter this problem much in Europe, and DEFINITELY not in Southeast Asia.

# 5 – The Family Unit is Broken

Divorce rates are so massive in the USA that it’s starting to seem like marriage itself is just a “career move” for, in particular, women who want the benefits of alimony / spousal support as they continue their own individual goals. (I am not saying men do not initiate divorce, too—but I have to look at statistics, showing men typically are the ones getting their asses handed to them in divorce courts.)

But there’s no reason to call out any particular sex. The real reason for this is the same I listed above: the “winner takes all” mentality. Many Americans enter relationships with the mindset of “What can I gain from this situation?”

A culture that does not have this problem is vastly different. Depression, isolation and general malaise in the population won’t occur, because people have a family “safety net”, which means if your job crashes or you have a health problem, you have uncles, brothers, sisters, parents, cousins who will look out for you.

This is why people in countries like Thailand or the Philippines can be, gasp, poorer but still happier. Maybe they’re making just enough to scrape by, but while in the U.S. that might be a death sentence, in Southeast Asia you still have your entire family and social circle to provide security.

In the USA in many families, you’re out by 18—and it’s not a big deal, because by then you desperately want to get away from your arguing, manic parents who are on the verge of divorce. Is it any wonder that youth will then turn to thug culture (point 7) to find the social safety net humans desperately want?

# 4 – Americans Won’t Face Their Cultural Problems

“American superiority” is the belief that America is the greatest country, despite the fact infant mortality rates and a burgeoning healthcare and infrastructure points us more toward 2nd world developing status.

Ok, national pride, everyone has that, right? The problem with the states is that this mentality is not what you’d expect to find in just any country. Rather, it becomes something that feels like full-blown brainwashing.

“Yeah, I had to pay $8,500 in hospital bills because I stubbed my toe, and my family hasn’t spoken to each other in 15 years, and my city is falling apart, but fuck am I glad I’m not some socialist European.”

It’s almost as if certain branches of the media infuse people with quasi-nationalism so that they overlook the fact they’re being used as uneducated pawns. Hmmmm….

# 3 – Shallow Attitudes Rule the Day

If you are a teenager or a 20-something in America, I have some bad news: if you don’t follow reality TV like the Kardashians, like to get drunk, and you don’t like to gossip about co-workers or classmates, you will have no ability to connect with people your age.

The problem comes to American youth who just don’t use their brains. From early in school, education is discouraged (smart people = nerds), and thug culture is encouraged. Cool people aren’t the ones thinking about things. On through college, average conversations for me consisted of “Man I got plastered last night”. A guy like me just has to roll his eyes, endure it, or try to play along.

I first noticed something was different about the rest of the world when I started going to youth hostels in the USA and meeting European travelers. Everybody was filled with interesting opinions, ideas, and—unbelievably—actual personalities!

By contrast, exhibiting these traits among American peers is more likely to isolate you among the “outcasts”—in other words, the pimply kids sitting in the back of the cafeteria playing Magic the Gathering and drinking Mountain Dew. Not my idea of a good time, either.

That’s because conformity is the name of the game in America, especially when you’re young. Personality, thoughts, ideas and other taboos are considered low-value. For men, crew cuts, talking about getting plastered, and generally acting like a Neanderthal is the proper strategy if you want any chance of getting invited to parties or dare I say get laid.

In summary, in most places I go to abroad, you are free to be yourself and you won’t be judged for not conforming. Or, if you do experience judgmental behavior by peers, it’s so minor compared to the social excommunication you’d feel in America, that it’s not even an issue, and you can still find things like friends or parties. If you are a young person reading this, I highly suggest to go study abroad. Go somewhere like the Czech Republic, or even England.

# 2 – The U.S. is Becoming a Police State

I can quickly tell how systemically corrupt a country is by the quality of the police force. One major warning sign is if you feel safe in the presence of cops, or paranoid.

I’ve been to some countries that I quickly recognize as having corrupt governments by virtue of how the police act. Cities I feel paranoid include: Istanbul, Bangkok, and Los Angeles. By contrast, even when I was in London I felt safe around the cops (who do not even carry firearms).

While in some countries, the police will outright ask for bribes or blackmail you, the U.S. operates a bit more covertly by working within the parameters of the law. The scary part is how that means the law is slowly inching toward something that does not feel very democratic.

Even small police forces in rural cities are now arming themselves like branches of the military; all the while it’s becoming easier and easier for police to legally shoot and kill unarmed citizens for whatever dumb reason they can think up of.

This leaves a major question: what direction are things going? Where is this going to lead?

# 1 – Americans Are Slaves Controlled By Debt

I wanted to put the laughably bad healthcare system as the primary problem with America, but I realize I could instead address a bigger issue: Americans are forced into corners because of carrying crushing amounts of debt.

The debt is accumulated from primarily school loans and hospital bills—two sources of debt that are often eliminated in first-world countries that manage their governments properly enough to subsidize and reduce these expenses.

The reason is because, once again, people are born and raised in America with the same “winner takes all” mentality. People become educators not to educate, but to reap excess profit from an industry that people feel forced to purchase into. And, a majority of doctors certainly don’t care about helping sick people, they care about prescribing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cheap to produce cancer drugs to the nation’s sick and dying (drugs which are themselves toxic, requiring future medical expenses to treat the resulting diseases they cause, great business model right!).

But even worse is the fact that an uninsured trip to the ER for something as minor as a cut could cost thousands upon thousands of dollars. Many foreigners advise people who travel into America to be VERY well insured, and to keep the visit temporary lest you end up owing some American bank your entire life savings.

I often recount my experience in Thailand, where I shattered my upper femur bone and required a 10-hour operation and two weeks in the hospital. Thailand uses a free-market healthcare system like the U.S., but there are plenty of government-supported hospitals partially financed by private interests (namely, the Thai royal family). During my stay, they fed me steak, vitamins, and I worked with a good physical therapist. Final bill was $1,200.

The system to control Americans through debt is nothing short of evil, and the transparency of this corruption is especially evident when a developing country like Thailand, which is per capita far more populated than the United States, can still provide healthcare—even to a foreigner.

In Summary

The common theme in this article is that a “winner takes all”, anti-social mindset pervades America as the primary cause of most of its problems. The only way for America to heal and become a suitable place to live is if a cultural, social shift occurs, and priorities of people begin to change, with a new focus on the community. Will this happen in my lifetime? I have no idea.

It is so sad but so truthful, I must add a comment from my uncle who worked in USA for 10 years (during the sixtys) and after he came back in Canada; how he described the American mentality from the Canadian one was: In USA, you need a hunting permit to shoot deer and it is allowed for a few weeks only, but to shoot human beings (young or old, black or white) you can do it all year long in USA, there is no limit to crazyness…

The Magic the Gathering comment was a pretty unpleasant surprise and insult in an otherwise /somewhat/ insightful commentary. Pimply Mountain Dew drinking people who sit in the back of cafeterias, who you wouldn’t want to associate with… It’s always going to be this way, isn’t it, society? Consider not ‘nerd bashing’, because I feel that you’re only encouraging the typical mentality. The main difference is that you feel you’re above the ‘wanksters’ (whatever you’d like to call them. We all know who we’re talking about here.) when you too, distance yourself from ‘those people. Beggars can’t be choosers, so to speak. To someone seeking friends outside the American cultural norm, you’re very unlucky if your interests ONLY really bring you in the direction of talking to a lot of foreigners. As great as that is, and no matter how closely I share your sentiments and value learning another language and actually gathering some earthly knowledge of what’s going on outside of your neck of the woods, (and indeed, what the US government itself is actually up to, something very sadly few people pay any attention to) the so called ‘nerdy’ niches do plenty to satisfy my need to meet and be with people who are interesting, cultured, not obsessed with getting drunk and high as a social ritual, and more similar to myself. Let’s be honest, though. If you have any sort of thoughts going on in your mind, you’re labled a nerd. The young culture is anti-intellectual. These people can’t stand there for 5 extra seconds of their precious one-click lives to have their question actually processed before it is answered. Most people don’t care much if something isn’t quick and easy. Like fast food, and having your mom and dad do everything for you. There are lots of irritating little subcultures as well as lurking social issues with other societies in this world. Back in high school, I was so sure I wanted to move to Germany, because when learning about their culture, I was so certain I felt it was so much better there than here. You can end up marginalized in many places just on the basis of being an “ausländer”. Yes, ausländer. After years and years of dedicated study and admiration for a culture, and feeling so much that you belong there, or might be better off with these beautiful people who are nothing like these terrible ailing priority stunted delinquents back home… you can be written off and scoffed at as a stupid, annoying ausländer. I’m not saying moving to another country ISN’T the best decision for some people. I do think that the neighborhood you dream of might be closer to home than you might think. If I’m not preaching to the chorus, I’d like to challenge you to take a road trip to the next state. Heck, just to visit. The difference between the culture of Philly and Staten Island is subtle… but noticeable. Better yet, actually go to places where cultured, mature, intelligent people might haunt. Visit a historical landmark or a museum. Get out and do something aside from going to the run down restaurants in your area, the theatre, or the mall. Surely there are a few people out there who will share your enthusiasm for whatever you’re interested in. Better yet, play Magic. It’s my community, so I can vouch for them. Learn to play and go to one of the prereleases at your local comic shop. There’s actually a really nice culture if you go to the right comic shops. There are entire families who bring their kids, and it’s pretty ethnically diverse, I’ve noticed. And never underestimate a 12 year old player, but always encourage them.

you should also add in that they are pushing lots of propaganda and homosexual propaganda though the mainstream media,
facebook (their stupid rainbow picture icons and when you as a man see pictures of beautiful women that you admire and with
that you also see ghost accounts posting pictures of male junk in the comment section. We all know who’s really behind this)

They must really want to turn everyone “Gay/Lesbian/and Transsexuals”.
USA is the modern day Sodom & Gomorrah and it will be destroyed.

i have to agree with this post america sucks today im 34 years old an WHite an american almost 35 an completely miserable im single an alone an its all of the same over here anti social unnapproachable women who imprison men to become Transexuals or GAY a policed country to where you can go to Jail for 10 years or more just from turning your head the wrong way an looking at a police officer wrong i will say this however about america 27 years ago this place was an awsome place to live being an 80’s child you could have not asked to grow up in a better time the 90s were still booming as well men an women across america where happy men today im not sure about women today are not of the same 80’s 90’s social breeds. i am heading for the untied kingdom or Canada one day id rather become a brittiSH citizen or canadian citizen then deal with this bullshit over here an go childless possibly forever.

I’m so pleased to read this article. I’ve spent 80% of my life in the US and other in the UK and I must say you are absolutely right about everything you wrote here. I feel so lonely here in the US that I’ve almost given up trying to make friends with the people here. All people care about here is who won the Super Bowl or how to get rich while I’d rather talk about art, maths, and history. Plus, they pay more attention to idiot celebrities than to intellectuals. If you’re too smart, the US will be a living hell for you. It’s also hard to eat healthy which is one of my biggest obsessions. But the one thing that drives me barking mad is the patriotism; they think they’re better than everybody else when the US really doesn’t measure up that well compared to the rest of the world. Plus, the US has committed more war crimes than any other country; how can a moral creature be proud to call such a country home? I often feel like a social outcaste because I don’t want to be a part of this cultural norm and would rather follow a European or Oriental lifestyle and because I’ve never believed the US was a great country. I’m sorry if I’ve complained too much, but I really wish I was living in the UK right now; I miss it so badly now that I wish I never left.

It’s possible to cut through some of it, I think. Find the right groups of people. Or even better, exist outside of the social matrix and allow others to follow you. I’m back living in Los Angeles again. I did miss the “cheeriness” of Americans, but I’m back to social connections that are paper-thin. Just keep in mind many Americans crave deeper connections because the lack you feel is commonplace. It’s possible to help them, I think.

Very good observations. I live in Canada, it is similar to the US, except for health care. One item that is super important is how regular people are being criminalized in the US and Canada. In Canada the police are allowed to stop any vehicle for no reason at all. Not only does it allow the police to harass minorities or anyone they don’t like, it could leave to a destroyed life over 2 drinks. Since the beginning of time people have enjoyed alcohol. The drink drive rate is miniscule and the penalties are on the criminal level now, That means handcuffs, a night in jail and police beatings. All which are standard police procedure in Toronto. That is ridiculous. It is legal to have a beer while your driving almost anywhere in the world and ewe beat and ruin peoples lives for nothing. These people have gone too far.

I will say, though, that some of the very free countries I’ve been to, like Czech Republic, have zero tolerance policies when you do something that may affect others. For instance, you can drink in the street to your heart’s content, but if you get behind a wheel with a drink–it’s very severe penalties. I’m not sure I disagree with this.

A slice of truth is a poor representation of the whole. I can give you 10 solid reasons, no, make it twenty, to STAY in the wondrous country of America. “The food is garbage” argument is especially laughable. America offers some of the best food options in the world. It all comes down to choice. My family eats very healthy. None of us are obese. I could elaborate further on the other arguments posted, but I won’t wasted my time. Try listing all the pros instead of the cons, and you might be shocked by the enormous blessings enjoyed by the average American compared to most people in the world. I’m not one to stick my head in the ground and ignore “issues”, but I have found that articles such as this are typically fabricated by spoiled brats who have never suffered a day in their lives, who don’t really understand how good they really have it in this most blessed place called the USA. I choose to count my blessing daily, praying to God that he would enable me to be a problem solver not a problem finder.

i was born here in america and i still live here to this day ive always wanted to leave america but i know i will have to have alot of money and a passport to even leave (which is pretty dumb to even have to have one if i want to leave) but anyways i came acrossed your vlog and its pretty much true and gives me another reason to leave

I agree 100 percent with the what the content of this article states. I often find it rather difficult connecting with most of my peers. For the most it’s because of our different mindsets; while they might want to discuss reality television and gossip about co-workers I might want to discuss entrepreneurial endeavors.

Also, I am really fed up with American nationalism/pride/upper crust attitude.

Everything here is way overpriced.

MOST American cities have either bad, sub-par or no public transportation at all.

America is a not only a country that is ran by its many corporations but it’s also a corporation itself.

Racism. Religious DOGMA. Homophobia.

crUmBLinG iNFruSTrucTUre

Failed healthcare system.

Depression.

Unfair distribution of wealth.

Need I say more?

I’m going to earn my TEFL Certification ASAP so I can go tech English abroad and get the hell out of this country for good. Mexico (Mexico City/ Distrito Federal), England, Thailand, China, South Korea. Anywhere (just about), just please let me this wasteland immediately!

I’ve been following your article and I like to say, I’ve agreed with it 100% life in the US has no meaning and no purpose but it’s makes perfect sense why making friends and finding a meaningful relationship is impossible, I’m I was totally inspired to hopefully someday leave and go on a quest to find happiness and fulfillment and live well to the fullest ,thank you☺.

As a lifelong resident of the US, I’ve been fighting battles as I can, and will until I’m dead. That said, I’ll toss out a few things that cross my mind when I think about things.

“America” isn’t a country. It’s just like US to be a part of something and not even be aware of it.

As a society, our ignorance is only rivaled by our arrogance. Highly valued, generously rewarded values. Ryan Lochte went to the University of Florida, where apparently 7 * 4 = 21. If he worked at a fast food counter, he would be fired.

I often hear successful entrepreneurs claim “I had no help getting where I am, there’s no excuse for anyone being poor in America. Socialism sucks”. It’s a shameful compliment to us that we had done such a good job getting the fundamentals in place early in the game, that we can produce people who are so disconnected from reality that they can say something like that, and you know that they have zero understanding of the framework that they used (and we paid for) to get there. It was all automatic for them, it just happened. It’s like that everywhere. USF, rural electrification, Interstate Highway System, public safety, never heard of those things. Socialism sucks.

If they really can make it without help, drop them in Mogadishu or South Sudan and see what happens. Our infrastructure doesn’t exist there, they wouldn’t survive much less thrive. It’s to our credit that people like that are so far removed from reality that can succeed at something and be that ignorant of other things.

Reason 11. Trump (and everyone like him). All men are not created equal. If he wasn’t born in his situation, he would have had the piss beaten out of him so many times that he would resemble a paper sack left out in the rain. We have too many like him here and can’t seem to ship them elsewhere. Strip the outer layers to reveal the content of his character, and what do you see?

That said, I must be American, because I like a train wreck as much as the next guy, and I won’t be disappointed. I can see for miles.

It’s fun to argue with a hardcore libertarian or Trump-supporter, who favors complete de-regulation, and to point out that there are no countries that have adopted this model successfully. Somalia / Mogadishu and other corrupt countries do not have regulation, because that is how the corruption operates. So the libertarian dream is essentially a myth. And the pursuit of it is, in fact, the pursuit of corruption. Yet the people who support it are very well-meaning, just following a utopia philosophy to nowhere.

Not every foreigner has reality focus second language’s AMERICAN ENGLISH”. NOT INCLUDING EUROPEAN ARE SPOKEN CORRUPTION very well meaning?/ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WAS FOURTH RELIGION BELIEFS CHRISTIANITY, MUSLIMS, ROMAN CATHOLIC,…?

I’m really late here. I just read this. And while I know my country is heading in the wrong direction. How does one leave America and become a citizen somewhere else? I don’t think America can be fixed without a civil war, and that will never happen until a wall is built around America and people realize it isn’t to keep people out but to keep us in. I’ve known for some time America is not the best place to I’ve in the world for many years now. Woman are so narcissistic. Drinking is encourage with more bars than churches. And our justice system is a joke. Can be put in jail for little to no reason. And things like the “patriot act” Have all but completely removed any protection we once had. Sorry so long winded. So back to what I began with. How do I take self and my son and go love in another country permanently and become a citizen? Europe maybe I’ve visited there alot. Much better vibe in general and the bread. Man I loved that fresh bread from the little street markets.

So I did write a book, “How to Escape the Rat Race and Move to Beautiful Countries” which includes pointers, but one big takeaway point is that there isn’t an easy way per se. People teach English and get visas out, but this won’t work in EU countries as they have hiring freezes against ‘immigrants’ (that is, immigrants from the USA). South America and Southeast Asia are much easier places to go, but they’re not for everybody. As for cultural issues, it also depends on which European country. Some people complain of icy personalities in many Scandinavian countries. Meanwhile Spain, Italy, Greece etc have wrecked economies. When it comes to work and so-called prosperity, the USA is still the way to go. Of course, many of us desire much more nutritious elements of our lives (e.g.: good people, good food, good communities). In that case, maybe one is best off going to a country that’s not entirely as economically sophisticated, but has a much nicer lifestyle… e.g.: Brazil. The immigration laws are much easier than, say, Switzerland.

I would have added third world immigration, political correctness stamping out free speech, media bias, the exhausting battle between makers and takers (right vs left), malignant feminism, rampant narcissism, materialism, consumerism, anti-intellectualism, corporate greed and corruption, lack of employee rights, lost critical thinking skills, and some of the bitchiest women on planet earth — all first world problems, because nobody is starving and we are still free to basically do as we please.

Americans are unhappy, in no small part, because we are spoiled brats with unrealistic expectations about how perfect our special little lives are supposed to be.

America is filling up with riff-raff because they are the only ones breeding, which does not bode well for the future.

I’ve done a lot of travel in my lifetime and like to remind people that living somewhere and visiting are two completely different things. Yes, Prague is a beautiful place to visit, but would you REALLY want to live there?

Are we a police state? No.
Is our food terrible? No, but terrible food is an available option.
Are Americans debt slaves? Only if you chose to be. Not going into debt is an option available to all.

For me the single most frustrating part of living in America, and you touched on this in a nicer way, is the rampant stupidity and entitlement of 85% (anecdotal) of the population. Studies do in fact indicate that Americans are getting dumber.